UNITED NATIONS, Sep 17 (APP):Independent investigators appointed by the UN’s Human Rights Council found “reasonable grounds” to believe that the United States committed war crimes during “indiscriminate attacks” against an Iranian school and residential area. The Fact-Finding Mission on Iran linked the allegations in a press release on Thursday noting that civilians in Iran are increasingly caught between their Government’s crackdowns on protests last year and deadly airstrikes by US …
Independent investigators find ‘reasonable grounds’ for US war crimes in Iran
UNITED NATIONS, Sep 17 (APP):Independent investigators appointed by the UN’s Human Rights Council found “reasonable grounds” to believe that the United States committed war crimes during “indiscriminate attacks” against an Iranian school and residential area.
The Fact-Finding Mission on Iran linked the allegations in a press release on Thursday noting that civilians in Iran are increasingly caught between their Government’s crackdowns on protests last year and deadly airstrikes by US and Israeli forces.
Amid the ongoing war pitting the US and Israel against Iran, the Fact-Finding Mission reported that the US launched “indiscriminate attacks” against two “clearly identifiable” civilian targets: a primary school in Minab as the US-Israeli attacks got underway – and a sports complex and residential area in Lamerd.
Under international law, armed forces may not intentionally attack civilian targets or attack military targets if those strikes could cause incidental harm to civilians.
On 28 February, the US struck the Shajareh Tayyebeh Primary School in Minab, killing 157 people, including 123 children. Despite the school being located near an Iranian naval base, the investigators found no evidence that it was being used for military purposes.
“The Mission finds reasonable grounds to believe that the US committed the war crime of launching an indiscriminate attack resulting in loss of life or injury to civilians or damage to civilian objects,” the report reads.
The same day, an airstrike hit a sports centre in Lamerd, killing 22 civilians and injuring more than 100 others, according to local officials.
The Mission again found evidence suggesting that the US carried out the attack and said the type of missile used in the attack is imprecise and “could not be directed at a specific military objective.”
In the report, the experts urged both Iran and the US to provide relief to Iranian civilians, which could include guaranteeing that they will not repeat the same alleged crimes and granting reparations to those harmed.
The protests that began in December 2025 evolved from “a reaction to mounting economic grievances into calls for political change,” investigators said. They quickly spread to all of Iran’s 31 provinces, it said.
In response, the Government shut down the internet and mobile communications – making it difficult for civilians to call for medical assistance – while security forces put down the protests.
The independent experts reiterated the UN’s call to all combatants to immediately cease hostilities and work towards a permanent peace.
“They should also ensure that allegations of violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law by all parties are independently investigated and those responsible held to account,” the report said.
